


Please Don't Be Temporary

by mashed_potato_with_cheese



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Author Is Sleep Deprived, Drug Use, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fred Weasley Lives, I would die for Fred Weasley, Knockturn Alley, Mental Health Issues, No Smut, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Three Broomsticks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:47:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26553817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mashed_potato_with_cheese/pseuds/mashed_potato_with_cheese
Summary: Years after the Battle of Hogwarts, many people are still recovering. Aspen Hale is one of those people. She just barely scraped by with passing grades, but now she's graduated. While trying to work enough to keep herself afloat, she stumbles across someone else who's lost something in the Battle.
Relationships: Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 17





	1. Good To Know

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! If you can't tell, I really love Fred Weasley. This fic is gonna be a little angsty, but trust me, the fluff will be STRONG here. I hope you enjoy!

The Battle of Hogwarts made news and front pages for weeks afterward. Almost everyone felt the loss, whether their family members or just someone they knew casually. I lost my sister. She was in her third year. I hadn’t gone to Hogwarts yet, I was only ten when the Battle happened. Now I’ve graduated. I’m eighteen now. I have no job, I have no means of getting one, and I’m rapidly running out of money. So when I see an ad for a job at the Three Broomsticks, I put on some presentable clothes and get an interview right away.

The owner, whose name is Bartholomew, seems pretty desperate for help, so he hires me right away. I take that as a success, seeing as at least I can pay my rent now. The job is pretty easy since I’m just a waitress, and I actually begin to settle in. I never excelled academically. I’m not stupid, but I pretty much expected to be working a job like this. At least I get free Butterbeer.

After a while at the Three Broomsticks, I start to get my bills. After my rent, I’m feeling pretty good. I have money left over, and my next paycheck is coming up quickly. Then my electricity and water bills come. They take a large chunk of my funds, and I’m a bit uneasy, but I do still have some money. I try to convince myself that it’ll be fine. But by the end of the week, just buying food (which I budgeted for thoroughly) has wiped me out, and the next paycheck isn’t for another two weeks. 

I sit at my dinner table, papers spread out in front of me. The bills seem never-ending. I feel like someone from one of those stupid Muggle movies where they sit in despair, except this time there was no handsome man to show up, fall in love with me, and pay for everything I could ever want. No, that isn’t how my story was going to go. My story involves me getting a second job and working my ass off for the rest of my life just to stay under a roof and put food in my mouth. That’s life, I guess. 

So, the next day, I wake up with the intent of finding another job. There’s no uniform for the Three Broomsticks, so I put on a nice-enough shirt and a business skirt, paired with some flats. I absolutely refuse to wear heels. They are the Devil’s handiwork. 

It’s a normal enough day at the restaurant, The same rowdy guys who definitely drank something stronger than Butterbeer before I see them, the same couples who snog in the corner booths, the same quiet customers who just order their meal and leave. The last ones are my favorite, for obvious reasons. After I get off my shift, I busy myself with strolling the streets of Hogsmeade looking for help wanted signs. Just my luck, there’s none to be seen. I take a deep breath and head into Knockturn Alley. 

Stupid, I know. Knockturn Alley is where you go if you’re a fugitive or a criminal (or both). But I’m desperate. I need a job, any job. Lucky for me, I see a shop called Cobb & Webb’s with a carelessly written “Help Wanted” sign. Taking a deep breath, I walk inside timidly.

“Um, hello?” I say. The shop appears to be empty. That’s why I jump when a scratchy voice comes from somewhere in the dark store.

“Hello, dearie. Can I help you?”

“Oh, uh, I saw your sign. I’m looking for a job.” The figure emerges. It’s a wizened old woman, wrinkled and hunched, wearing a dusty old cloak. It seems like such a cliche, but I’m too anxious to give it too much thought.

“Are you now? How fortunate for me. You’re hired.” I blink, shocked.

“Really? Just like that?” The woman laughs, her voice gravelly. It sounds like her throat is lined with sandpaper.

“Unless there’s a pressing reason why I shouldn’t hire you.”

“Oh, uh, no. No, there’s no reason. I’ll work hard, I promise.”

“Good. All you need to do is familiarize yourself with the store, and help customers when they come in.” I nod. The woman turns and walks back into whatever dark place she came out of. I move slowly up and down the aisles, trying to memorize where everything is. I pull out a sheet of parchment and a Muggle pen and scrawl out a list of the general items in each aisle. Cheat sheets are always a good idea, I’ve learned. I’m feeling pretty good about this job, I don’t see anything too shady. I start to head back to the check-out counter when I see a small door behind the shelves. I turn to look around the shop. The woman is nowhere in sight. 

I shouldn’t open it. It’s none of my business. But, my curiosity has always gotten the best of me. I open the door gingerly and then curse under my breath. 

Euphoria Elixir. It’s basically cocaine but for wizards. It induces happiness and makes the user sky high, but the effects on health are… sub-optimal. I flinch loudly when I hear a scratchy voice.

“Oh, dear. I hope this doesn’t put a damper on our work relationship.” I close the door quickly and turn around.

“Look, I really need this job. Please don’t fire me.” The old woman chuckles.

“Poor dearie. I have no intention of firing you, unless of course, you were to alert any authorities of the more unsavory parts of my business.” I shake my head rapidly.

“No, no, I won’t.”

“Good. Now that you know, I suppose I should tell you. If anyone comes in asking for Whiz Bangs, then you give them a bottle of that.” 

“Right. Good to know.” I guess I sell drugs now. Not how I imagined my life going, but at this point I don’t really care. The need for food overrides my want for morality.


	2. Whiz Bangs

My schedule is the same every day. I wake up at 6:00 AM, work 6 hours at the Three Broomsticks, go to Cobb & Webb’s, work another 6 hours, go home and eat something, go to bed. That leaves about 10 hours for sleep, which is pretty good in my opinion. I start to feel pretty good about my arrangement. It’s not exactly riveting, but I have some extra money here and there and I’m keeping myself afloat. What more could a mediocre witch ask for?

My shift at the Three Broomsticks ends at 1:00, right after lunch rush. I clock out and head straight to Cobb & Webb’s since my shift there starts at 1:15. Surprisingly, I’ve grown pretty fond of the little shop. The old woman, whose name is Blanche, is kind to me. She’s vaguely motherly, always asking if I’ve eaten and how I’m doing. She told me once that if I ever had my heart broken, she’d slip some Euphoria Elixir into his bag and have him framed for drug use. 

I’m settled in for my shift, having gone through and checked to make sure everything was in order. I’ve started doing some of the restocking work since I felt bad making Blanche lift boxes, but most of the time she insists that she can handle it. I know the store by the back of my hand, though, so I’m not sure why she’s so stubborn. 

Blanche told me that she was going out, so I’m left in the store by myself. I’m not nervous. Customers are never rowdy here, seeing as it’s a shop full of dangerous items. I’m sitting at the front desk absent-mindedly doodling on a piece of parchment when I hear the bell on the front door ring. I look up with a “customer service” smile. A tall, lanky man with flaming orange hair comes through the door. 

“Hello, how can I help you?” He looks at me as if just noticing that I’m there.

“Oh, uh, do you have Whiz Bangs?” I feel my eyes widen. I’ve never actually had a customer ask for the Elixir before.

“Yes, yes we do. How would you like?”

“Five packages, please.” He avoids eye contact. I would too if I was buying drugs from a girl who looks absolutely terrified. I walk quickly to the door and grab five of the little bottles. The man looks at them almost hungrily. I move back towards the desk and bag the bottles with shaky hands, ringing the man up quickly.

“That’ll be twenty-five galleons,” I say quietly. The man wordlessly reaches into his pocket and pulls out the money, dropping the coins into my hand while still avoiding eye contact. He goes to grab the bag, then stops.

“Are you okay, miss?” he asks softly. I’m startled.

“I’m fine, thanks.” He nods and grabs the bag, and is out the door without a word. I look after him, curious. I had never seen him before. Most of our customers were regular, and some I was even on a first-name basis with. But this boy, this fire-haired boy, was new, and new was a strange thing in Knockturn Alley. I find myself hoping he’d be back.

My wish comes true. The man returns almost weekly and orders the exact same thing. Five bottles of Euphoria Elixir. I always wonder what he does with that many drugs. Maybe he resells them, because he never seems high when I see him. He seems quite the opposite actually, always sort of nervous and quiet. On the fifth week since I first saw him, I decide to get some answers. He walks in, and I put on my cheeriest smile.

“The usual?” I ask. He nods wordlessly. “You’ve been coming here for a while. Mind if I ask your name?” He hesitates a moment.

“Fred. Fred Weasley.” I grab the bottles and bag them.

“Nice to officially meet you, Mr. Weasley. My name is Aspen.” I hand him the bag.

“Nice to meet you too, Aspen. And please, call me Fred.” He hands me the galleons with a smile.

“I guess I’ll see you next week. Fred.” I smile back. His face reddens and he walks out of the store. I’m fascinated by Fred, I don’t know why. He just seems different.

Throughout the next months, Fred and I establish a sort of friendship. He comes to the store twice a week now, and he only buys three of the bottles per week. Every time I see him come in, I can’t suppress a smile. He seems to be more comfortable around me now. I begin to look forward to his visits. One day, he walks in with his head ducked down.

“Hey, Fred. What can I get for you?”

“Oh, um, I’m not here to buy anything. I wanted to know if, if you wanted to…” he trailed off.

“If I wanted to what?” I ask, slightly amused despite myself.

“If you wanted to get a Butterbeer with me,” he says in a rush.

“Are you asking me on a date, Fred Weasley?” I say with a smirk.

“Um, yes?” He looks embarrassed.

“I would love to. I get off at 7:15.” 

“Oh, brilliant. I’ll see you then?” A relieved smile crosses his face.

“Sure. I look forward to it.” I give him a smile. His face flushes and he walks quickly out of the store. When he's outside, I see him pump his fist a bit. I grin down at my hands. This would be interesting.


	3. What Changed?

I’m jittery throughout the rest of the day. The thought of a date was exciting. I’ve never been much of a romantic, and my love life is pretty lacking, but something about Fred made me want to remedy that. I almost wanted to ask to go home early so I could change, but Blanche would need my help closing. Instead, I fix my hair as best I could and straighten my shirt. There are no mirrors in the shop, so I suppose I just have to trust that I look okay.

7:15 rolls around slower than I’d like, but at least it’s here. Almost exactly on the dot, Fred walks shyly through the door. I smile at him and grab my coat.

“Hey, Fred.”

“Hey, Aspen. Shall we?” He gestured towards the door. I stepped forward and took his hand. He blushed wildly but grinned at me. We walked together towards the Three Broomsticks.

Bartholomew greets me as I walk through the door. Fred looks surprised.

“Are you a regular?”

“You could say that. I have a second job here.” His eyebrows go up.

“Two jobs? Busy lady.” I laugh.

“What can I say? I’m an important woman.” He chuckled and tugged me towards a booth. We sat down and he ordered two Butterbeers.

“So you work at the most popular restaurant in Hogsmeade, and a hole-in-the-wall shop in Knockturn Alley? There’s gotta be a story behind that.” There’s a gleam in his eye. I shrug.

“Not really. I was never really an academic, despite the fact that I was in Ravenclaw. After I graduated, I got a job here, but it wasn’t enough to pay for my flat. Blanche was the only other person hiring.”

“Well, I have to say, that’s much less interesting than I’d hoped.” I laugh.

“I am very unremarkable, sadly.” 

“Now that’s not true at all. I don’t ask just anyone out, you know.” He grins. I laugh.

“Oh, of course. I guess I’m the new Chosen One.” 

“That you are,” he says in a deadpan voice. I laugh again and shake my head.

“Really, though, I think you’re very remarkable, Aspen. I’ve never met anyone who could sell drugs with such terror in their eyes.” I smack his arm lightly.

“It was the first time anyone asked for them. Most of the time I try to forget that they’re there.”

“You’ve never tried them? Never been curious?” He looks genuinely confused.

“Not really. I’ve never given it much thought.”

“See? Remarkable. A young person who’s never thought about drugs.” He bumps my shoulder lightly. 

“I suppose you’re right,” I say with another laugh. This is the most I’ve laughed in ages. Our Butterbeer comes, and we sip on it as we continue to talk. Fred is fun to be around. There’s something hiding behind his jokes and wit, but for now I’m happy to ignore it. 

After a while, we’ve finished our Butterbeer and are heading out I grab my coat and slide out of the booth. Fred takes my hand this time, and I smile up at him. He is exceptionally tall. We walk together out the door. Night has already taken its hold, and stars shine lightly on us. 

“Thank you for the lovely evening, Fred,” I say quietly. He looks down, surprised.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t walk you home?” I blush and look at my feet.

“Well, what a gentleman. Let’s go.” We walk, our hand still clasped, in the general direction of my apartment. Fred looks around thoughtfully the entire time. When we pass Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, he points it out.

“That’s my brother’s shop, you know,” he says.

“Really? I suppose I should have put that together,” I reply with a laugh.

“We used to run it together actually. But now he does it himself.”

“What changed?” I ask softly. I don’t want to push him, but he did start the conversation. He had to have known that I’d ask.

“I guess I changed. After… it doesn’t matter.” He falls silent. I’m concerned that I stepped over a line.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.” He shakes his head.

“No, I brought it up. You deserve to know. But that’s a conversation for another night.” My heart jumps a bit.

“Another? Does this mean we’ll go out again?”

“Well, of course. As long as you want to.” We stop in front of my apartment building. I stand on my tiptoes and press a kiss to his cheek.

“Goodnight, Fred. I’ll see you around the shop.” 

“Night, Aspen,” he says with a grin. I walk into my building, feeling like a giggly schoolgirl. He wants to go out again! Maybe I’m better at this kind of thing than I thought.


	4. As Long As I Can

Fred and I go out almost every evening. He comes by the shop in the afternoon, buys one or two bottles of the Elixir, then returns in the evening. We go to the Three Broomsticks often, but he’s also taken me the Hog’s Head and Madame Puddifoot’s. On the weekends we peruse the shops, sometimes going out into the Muggle world as well. I have yet to see his house, but I’m not concerned. He’ll open up when he’s ready. 

My personal favorite place to go with him is The Magical Menagerie. He seems almost childish when we go into the little shop. The fatigue behind his eyes fades, his smile spreads wide across his face.

“You really like animals, huh?” I tease.

“I like their innocence. These animals, they’ve never known anything except people bringing them food and holding them. They have no reason to believe there’s anything bad in the world. I like that about them.” He turns to me. “It’s why I liked you originally, part of why I still do. You seemed… pure. Ok, that sounds bad. I saw you, and there was something warm and safe about you.” He looked contemplative, like he couldn’t find the words he wanted. I took his hand.

“I understand what you mean. I look almost childish, I know. I hated when I was a teenager. And I do try to be a generally warm person. If I don’t put effort into happiness, then it’ll disappear.”

“Not really childish. Just amiable, like I could sit and talk to you for hours. You’re too beautiful to look childish.” I blushed. “I do like the way you put it, though. You have to put effort into happiness.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what makes you have to put in the effort? There’s always something.” He grimaced.

“Why don’t you tell me first?” I take a deep breath.

“My sister died in the Battle of Hogwarts. Her name was Clover. She was three years older than me, and I hadn’t even gone to Hogwarts yet when she died. I don’t even know how she died. We weren’t super close, but she was still my sister, you know? The loss hit my parents really hard, which sort of magnified the whole situation for me.” Fred had watched me intently the whole time I was speaking. We’re still walking while I’m talking, but when I finish Fred pulls me towards a bench and we sit down. He’s silent for a bit.

“I’m sorry about your sister, Aspen. That’s a hard thing to lose.” I nod but stay quiet. “I guess it’s my turn, huh? I fought in the Battle of Hogwarts. I actually knew your sister a bit. Do you want to know how she was killed?”

“Yes, please. I think it’d be good to know.”

“She was killed by a piece of wall that fell and crushed her. The only reason she was under the wall when it fell was because she pushed a first-year out of the way. She was really, really brave.” I felt a tear trace down my cheek. He brushed it off with his thumb, then continued. “We lost a lot of people in the Battle, as I’m sure you know. I lost friends, and watched the school I grew up in crumble. I didn’t lose nearly as much as others, but during the Battle, I was almost killed. A Death Eater sent a killing curse at me, and I froze. If someone hadn’t blocked it, I’d be dead. I don’t know why, but I just never felt right afterwards. I started using Euphoria Elixir a few months after the Battle. The place I used to get it was closed down by the Ministry, so I started coming to you. I guess I can thank the Ministry for that much.” He had been staring at the ground as he recounted his story, but now he looks up at me. His eyes are filled with grief, but he looks almost apologetic. I rest my head on his shoulder.

“Thank you for telling me. I know it has to be hard.”

“I just feel weak. My brother went through the same things, fought at the same time, and he runs the store by himself and supports me.” I lift my head up.

“What?” He squeezes his eyes shut.

“I didn’t want to say that right now. I guess you deserve to know, though. I live in the same house as my brother. He pays for it all, he buys the food, everything.” I’m silent for a moment, taking in this news. “I know, it sounds despicable. I’m a drain on him, on his hard work.”

“I don’t mean to sound harsh, but maybe you should work with him.”

“I should. Maybe I will. But it’ll take work. I need… I need to stop with the Elixir. I’m dependent on it now, it’s the only thing that gives me relief from my own mind. But now I have you, and you’re better than anything like that. The Elixir is temporary, but you don’t have to be. Please don’t be temporary.” His voice turns to desperation, the voice of a broken boy who’s finally, finally letting out the emotions he’s held in for years. I wrap my arms around him, pulling him towards me. His head rests on my shoulder.

“I won’t be temporary. I’ll be here as long as you need me.” It’s a dangerous promise to make, but right here, right now, I’m confident that I’ll keep it. I intend to hang on to Fred for as long as I can.


	5. I Usually Am

After that conversation, Fred and I are together even more. He comes to Cobb & Webb’s every day around 2:00, then returns at 7:15. We spend every evening together, and most weekends. I don’t have much of a social life, and neither does he obviously, so there’s never any reason not to see him. I come to realize that I need him just as much as he needs me. It occurred to me one day as we were walking that I couldn’t remember the last time I laughed before Fred.

As he’s getting more comfortable with me, he’s letting his guard down a bit. The grief fades from his eyes, the light returning in full force. He’s goofy, he’s sweet, and he seems to never get tired of me. The feeling is mutual. Today, though, he looks much more serious than usual.

“Everything okay, Freddie?” I ask, taking a sip from my Butterbeer. He takes a deep breath.

“I want to go back to work. At Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes.” 

“Really? Fred, that’s amazing!” He manage a smile.

“Yeah, um, but I was wondering if you would… come with me?” My eyes widen.

“Like, work there?”

“If you want to. If you don’t, just stay with me for a while when I start working there.”

“I’ll definitely go with you, but Fred, I think working there is something you need to share with your brother and him only.” Fred nods.

“I figured you’d say something like that. And you’re right, of course.” I smile.

“I usually am.” He laughs.

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” We finish our Butterbeer and walk around Hogsmeade for a while. It’s getting dark quickly. I watch as Fred looks around, scanning for threats. He always does that, like he never feels safe. I hold his hand, and that pulls his attention towards me. We come up to my apartment building.

Before I know what’s happening, Fred grabs my waist and presses his lips to mine. I put my arms around his neck, standing on my toes. He smells amazing, and his lips are warm against mine. He pulls back after a minute, our noses still touching.

“Hey Aspen?” he says quietly. “I’m in love with you.” I kiss him again in answer, pulling myself tighter against him.

“I love you too, Freddie,” I say breathlessly. He gives me another quick kiss.

“Goodnight, love,” he says with a smile.


	6. Anytime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if there should be a trigger warning here, so I'll put one.  
> TRIGGER WARNING: fighting/drug use  
> This chapter is mega-angsty, so the next chapter will probably be fluffy!

Fred has been trying to stop using Elixir. He’s going off it slowly. Currently he’s at two bottles a week. It’s been hard. He looks tired all the time, and he’s less enthusiastic about everything. We’ve worked out a schedule, and today is the day he’s going down to one a week. When he comes into Cobb & Webb’s today, I know it’s going to be a rough time. I put on my cheeriest smile.

“Hey, Freddie. How are you?”

“Fine, love. Just fine.” His voice sounds strained.

“Today’s the big day, right? One a week.” I’m trying my best to be peppy, but I know this is going to hurt him.

“Right. I’m here to get my one bottle.”

“Of course. Give me just a second.” I move to the cabinet. Fred watches my movements almost hungrily. I realize that right now, this bottle is the most important thing to him. “Here you are.” He dumps the money into my hand.

“See you later, love.” He walks out the door. I feel a lump in my throat. This is going to be awful.

Fred’s been in a bad mood all week, and I know it’s only going to get worse. Today is the start of him not using any Elixir. When he walks into the shop today, the circles under his eyes are almost black.

“Hi, Freddie,” I say softly. “It’s the big day, right?”

“Aspen, I can’t do this. Please don’t make me do this.” I close my eyes.

“I have to. It’s for you.” He nods sullenly like he expected this answer.

“I’m going to stay in this evening, Aspen. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Alright. I love you.” He nods again and leaves without a word. I feel a tear trace down my cheek. I tell myself it’s not him, it’s the Elixir. This isn’t Fred. It can’t be.   
That evening, I spend the first time in a while alone in my apartment. There’s some silly Muggle movie on TV, and I throw together some bubble and squeak. The movie is interrupted by another knock on the door. I flick off the TV and go to see who it is. It’s Fred again. He looks absolutely awful.

“Fred? Are you okay?”

“Aspen. I need you to go get me some Elixir. I need it, okay? Please go get it.” I swallow hard, my throat tight.

“Freddie, I can’t do that.” He explodes.

“I thought you loved me! I need the Elixir, Aspen, you don’t understand.” Tears are running down my face at this point.

“No, Freddie. I won’t do that.” He storms past me into my apartment. I stay still as a statue, my hand still on the door knob.

“You said you cared about me. You said you’d help me. You lied. Does this look like help to you? Not giving me the thing I want most? I need more time, Aspen. I can’t do this.” He sinks to the ground. He looks like a little boy for just a moment, a flash of what he used to be before the Battle. I close the door and gently go kneel in front of him.

“You’re strong, Freddie. You’re strong, and you’re brave, and you can do this. I know it’s hard. I know this is so hard and I’m sorry that you’re going through it, but I am not going to give you something that has caused you so much pain. I love you so much, Fred, and I cannot and will not have a hand in your suffering.” All the anger is gone from him, replaced by deep, crushing sadness. Tears trace down his face. I put my arms around him and he leans against me. His head rests on my shoulder. We sit on the floor of my apartment for what seems like hours, silently comforting each other.

He lifts his head and looks up at me. I try for a smile. He opens his mouth to say something, but the only thing that comes out is a sob.

“It’s okay, Freddie. You’re okay.” I mumble reassurances to him.

“I’m so sorry, Aspen. The things I said… I’m so sorry.” I shift a bit and cup his face in my hands.

“Listen to me, okay? That wasn’t you. None of that was you. That was the pain that you’ve been suppressing, pouring out of you all at once. And I can deal with that, Fred. When I fell in love with you, I knew that there were parts of you that you’re ashamed of, and I made an unspoken promise to accept them. I can and will provide the support and care and love that you need.” I press a gentle kiss to his lips, his face still in my hands.

“I love you, Aspen. More than anything. And thank you.” I give him a soft smile.

“Anytime, Freddie.”


	7. Not Bloody Likely

Today’s the day that Fred and I are going to go talk to George. I’ve gotten the day off from both jobs, so I’m ready to go. It’s been weeks since Fred came off the drugs, and he’s doing much better. I’m really proud of him.

I want to make a good first impression, so I dress up a bit. I grab a basic black pencil skirt and a loose cream-colored top. Again, I’m going to wear flats. I let my hair fall loose on my shoulders, but I do spend a bit more time brushing than usual. Just as I’m finishing, Fred comes in. I gave him a key a while ago. He comes over all the time anyway, so I figured I may as well. 

“Hey love. You look lovely,” he says as soon as he spots me.

“Aw, thanks, Freddie. You don’t look too bad yourself.” He’s wearing a light blue polo and grey dress pants. It really does look good on him. I step forward and take his hand.

“Shall we?” He nods and we head to the store.

Fred grows visibly more nervous as we approach the store. I squeeze his hand and smile at him. He relaxes a bit, but still looks nervous.

“You’re going to be fine,” I say. “He’s your brother.”

“I know he’ll forgive me. I just don’t know if I deserve it.” I stop and turn towards him.

“Everyone deserves forgiveness, Fred, especially those who work for it. And trust me, you’ve definitely worked for it.” We continue on until we’re in front of the bright storefront. “Ready?”

“I’m ready,” he says with a deep breath. I haven’t been in this shop since my Hogsmeade trips when I was still in school, and the loud and colorful interior catches me a bit off-guard. Fred looks amazed. I realize that this store has been his life-long dream, and today is the deciding day on the fruition of that dream. I see George right away. He’s hard to miss with his flaming orange hair and matching suit. When he sees us, his face contorts into shock. He walks slowly towards us.

“Fred?” he says in a disbelieving tone. Fred is frozen for a second, but then he nods.

“Yeah. Yeah, it’s me.”

“You haven’t been in the store for… I can’t even remember.” George doesn’t look angry, which is a good sign. I think he’s mostly trying to figure all of this out. Fred gestures to me.

“This is Aspen. She’s my girlfriend.” I smile at the title. George looks even more bewildered.

“You have a girlfriend? When? How? And why are you here?” Fred opens his mouth, but no words come out. I reach out my hand to shake George’s.

“Um, hi. I’m Aspen. I’ve been dating Fred for a couple of months. We met at my job.”

“Oh, uh, nice to meet you. I’m George.” He gives me a confused smile. Fred finally finds his words.

“I’m here to apologize. I’ve been a terrible brother. I haven’t been here, and I made you do this by yourself. Aspen helped me a lot, and I’m doing a lot better. I wanted to know if you’d have me back here. Working at the shop.” George blinks a couple of times. Then he grabs Fred and pulls him into a hug.

“Of course I want you to work here! I want you around, I want to get to know Aspen, I want to be your brother again!” I smile as the twins reunite. I knew George would forgive Fred, even though I hadn’t met him. Fred talked about him so much, and talked about how good he was, and I knew that George was just waiting for Fred to come back. 

Fred and I stay around the store for the rest of the day, so Fred can get reacquainted with the job and so I can get get to know George. He’s a lot like Fred, but he’s goofier. Lighter, almost. He feels a bit like an older brother in his mannerisms. Fred hasn’t stopped smiling once today, and I can almost see the joy radiating off of him. When we finally leave that evening, with promises of getting drinks with George soon, Fred holds my hand and spins me around.

“Thank you, Aspen. This is because of you. You put me back together and brought me to my brother.” He kissed the tip of my nose.

“This wasn’t me, Fred. I helped, sure, but you did the work. You made the choice.”

“Still, thank you.” He kissed me again, on the lips this time. I smiled against his lips as he wrapped his arms around my waist. He lifted me up, my toes dangling above the ground. I tangled my hands in his hair. He put me down after a minute, pressing his forehead to mine.

“I love you so much, Aspen.”

“I love you more, Fred Weasley.” He laughed.

“Not bloody likely.”


	8. Sounds Perfect

Fred’s been at the store for two months, and off the Elixir for three months. He’s doing really, really well. George is great too. We’ve been seeing a lot of him and his wife Angelina, who happens to be one of the most pleasant people I’ve ever met. She and George together are loud and full of laughter. Whenever Fred and I see them, I swear I don’t stop smiling the whole time.

The store is doing really well. Fred and George are both good salesmen, but together it’s almost impossible to visit the shop without buying something. I love visiting the twins there. It’s such a bright and happy place.

Fred and I are sitting in the Three Broomsticks when he starts to look a bit embarrassed.

“Everything okay, Freddie?” I ask.

“Yeah, um, everything’s fine. I was just wondering if, uh, ifyouwantedtomoveintogether.” I blinked, surprised.

“Wait, really?”

“Of course. I really love spending time with you and being around you and, well, I want to live with you. And then you could drop one of your jobs, right?” He looks awkwardly at his drink.

“Obviously I want to move in with you, Fred. My apartment or yours?” I say with a smile. He looks pleasantly surprised. 

“Oh, uh, right. I was thinking yours, since you have more stuff so it would be harder for you to move.”

“Sounds perfect. You can start to move in whenever you want.” He grins widely and kisses me, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

Fred starts to move in about a week later. We’ve decided to split the rent, which means that I can indeed drop one of my jobs. I feel awful dropping Cobb & Webb’s, but I’d rather not sell drugs for any longer than I have to. Blanche seems to understand.

“Of course that’s fine, dear. Remember, my offer to frame anyone who hurts you still stands.” I give her a hug and we bid our farewells. When I get back to the apartment, Fred’s unpacking his stuff. I sneak up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist. He laughs and spins around in my arms, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“Well, hello there, love.”

“Hi, Freddie. I’ve officially left my job with Blanche.” 

“Good for you. Wanna get some dinner?”

“Definitely.” He smiles down at me, then suddenly lifts me off the ground. I throw my arms around his neck to keep myself from falling, and from his mischievous grin I can tell that’s exactly what he wanted. I laugh as he spins me around. When he sets me down, my head spins. He kisses me, and that does very little to clear my thoughts.

We get some dinner in Hogsmeade with George and Angelina. The evening is filled with mirth. When we finally get home, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Fred and I watch some silly Muggle TV show until I feel myself start to drift off. I’d be content to sleep on the couch, but Fred carries me to my bed and carefully lays me down. He starts to head back to the living room, but I grab his hand.

“Please stay?” He smiled and lays down next to me, pulling the blankets over us. I curl up against him as he puts his arms around me. “I love you, Freddie,” I mumble.

“I love you, Aspen.”


	9. I Messed Up

I know something’s wrong the minute he walks in the door. Fred’s been working all day, and I got home a few hours ago. This is our normal schedule, but today something’s off.

“Are you okay, Fred?” He wobbles on his feet and his pupils are dilated.

“I really messed up, Aspen. I really messed up.” His voice is strange, and he stumbles and falls. I grab him before his head can hit the floor.

“Oh God, Fred, what’s wrong? What happened?”

“I went to Knockturn Alley. I messed up.” He sounds panicked and slightly confused.

“Everything’s okay, Freddie. Just tell me what happened.” I try to make my voice soothing, but even I can hear the fear. 

“They sell it in Knockturn Alley. I thought I was ready to go, but I wasn’t. And I bought some, and I took it. It was great for a while, but it’s temporary, remember? It’s always temporary.” I close my eyes, feeling tears on my cheeks. Fred’s collapsed on my floor, his head on my lap, and he’s high as a kite. That damn Elixir.

“Ok, Freddie. Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re gonna stand up and go to the couch and you can lay down again. Then I’m going to go get George.” He shakes his head rapidly.

“No, no, no. No George. You can’t get George. He’ll hate me.” I blink back some more tears.

“I have to do something, Fred. I can’t just let you sit here, but I can’t bring you to the hospital either.” He looks like he’s about to pass out, so I do my best to haul him to his feet. 

“Come one, Freddie, just to the couch. We’re almost there.” I finally get him to the sofa and lay him down. There’s a blank expression on his face.

“I’m sorry, Aspen. I’m terrible and awful to you all the time. Why do you stay? You don’t have to.” There’s no pain in his voice. He’s just stating fact.

“I stay because I love you, and I think you’re better than this.” My voice cracks. Fred nods thoughtfully and closes his eyes. I let a few more tears fall, then grab my wand and apparate to Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. George is closing up. When he sees me, his face contorts to worry and confusion.

“Aspen? Is everything okay?” I open my mouth, but my voice cracks and I sob. George comes over and hugs me. “What’s wrong? Where’s my brother?” I take a shaky breath.

“I don’t know how much you know, but Fred was addicted to Euphoria Elixir before I met him. I helped him get off of it, and he was clean for months, but today he… he went out and bought some. He’s in my apartment right now, and I don’t know what to do.” George releases me from his embrace. He looks grim.

“I knew about the drugs, I just tried to ignore it. I figured he was off of them when he came back to work. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this by yourself.”

“I knew what I signed up for. I just don’t know what to do now.”

“Let’s go to your apartment, if that’s okay. I’d like to see him.” I nod, and he puts his hand on my shoulder. We apparate to my flat. Fred is limp on the couch, and he’s still conscious.

“Hey, Freddie. I’m back, and George is here to see you,” I say gently. Fred shifts a little.

“Oh, hello Aspen. Why is George here?” 

“He wanted to talk to you.” I turn to George. “I’m going to go put some coffee on. It seems like it’s going to be a long night.” We’re going to have to stay with him all night. His body cleaned all the drugs out of his system, so now his body is confused. George nods slowly. I try for an encouraging smile and head into the kitchen.  
Even after the coffee’s done, I stay in the kitchen. George hasn’t said a word to his brother yet, and I don’t want to be in there when they both inevitably break down. It sounds selfish, but I don’t think I could handle it. Then I hear George’s hushed voice.

“You’re such a bloody git, Fred. Do you know how much that girl in the kitchen cares about you? Do you know how much you’re hurting her?” His voice is strained and cracking.

“I know,” Fred rasps. “I know. She’s everything to me, everything I want. She’s perfect. I don’t deserve her. Look at me, George. I don’t deserve her. That thought hit me on the way home today. I will never be good enough for Aspen. And it crushed me. It killed me to think about that, George. And there was a witch selling the Elixir, and I broke. I’m weak and I broke. I hurt Aspen even more. She should have someone better than that.” I feel a lump burning in my throat. I don’t hear whatever George says to him, I don’t hear anything except the buzzing in my ears. Hot tears run down my face. I sink to the ground, leaning against the cabinet. It that really what he thinks? I shakily stand up and pour two cups of coffee. When I come back into the living room, George immediately notices my tear-stained face.

“Did you hear him?” he asks quietly. I just nod and carefully set down his coffee cup. Fred looks up at me. I take his hand.

“You’re so pretty, Aspen,” he said dreamily.

“Thank you, Freddie,” I replied quietly, trying for a smile. George hung his head. I swallowed back some more tears as Fred’s eyes closed and he fell asleep.


	10. Promise Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story was a lot less fluffy than I intended. Oops. Sadly, this is the last chapter of my little angst-fest. I hope you liked it!  
> Stay safe <3

Fred wakes up the next morning with a headache from Hell and a mouth full of apologies. As soon as his eyes open, I’m there holding his hand and coaxing him back to reality. George leans up against the opposite wall and watches.

“Hey, Aspen,” says Fred in a tired voice.

“Hey, Freddie,” I reply, already feeling tears prick my eyes.

“Aspen, I… I’m so sorry. You don’t deserve any of this. I’m hurting you, and I know it, and I can’t stop. I can’t stop. I’ll pack my stuff and go as soon as I can.”

“No, no, no, no. You have to stay with me, Fred. I need you. Please, Fred, I need you to stay. I told you before, I knew what I was getting into. I don’t want to lose you, that would hurt so much more than any of this. Please.” The tears fall, and I break again. I can hear the desperation in my voice as I plead for the love of my life to forgive himself. His hand is cold as I grip it tightly. 

“Aspen,” he says gently. “I can’t do this to you. I’m going to leave for a while. I’ll stay in touch with you, and once I’m better, well and truly better, I’ll come back and make all of this up to you.” He looks like he’s in pain, but his voice is steady and gently. I sob, feeling the pressure in my ribs. It hurts, but I can’t stop. The tears and the pain overtake me and all I can focus on is Fred’s icy hand clasped in between mine. George walks over and places a hand on my shoulder, kneeling next to me.

“Aspen, it’s okay. If he doesn’t deal with this himself, all it’s going to do is wear you down until there’s nothing left. You pushed him to get better, that’s your part in this. The rest is up to him.” I drop Fred’s hand and pull away from the couch. When I speak, venom drips from my voice.

“Fine. Go then. Fix yourself, or whatever you need to do. But don’t expect a tearful reunion, or for me to sit alone in my window waiting for you to come back. You’re leaving me, and I have the right to keep living.”

“Of course, Aspen. I wouldn’t expect anything else.” He looks purely apologetic. 

After a few days, Fred is up and out of my house. He went to some rehab center. He has kept in touch like he promised, but I’m trying not to let on how much I miss him in my letters. George still pays half of my rent despite the amount of times I insisted that I didn’t need his help. I know he feels somehow responsible, even though I was the one that dragged him into the situation. Angelina comes over to my flat every day and we eat together. I know both she and George see me as a responsibility, but at least the idea of their friendship is nice.

“Hey, Aspen!” says Angelina cheerfully. “Wanna watch some television?” I nod with a smile. We eat leftover shepherd’s pie and watch some silly movie about aliens. Neither of us really pay attention to the movie and mostly talk to each other. Tonight, we talk mostly about Fred. Usually I avoid that topic, but he’s supposed to come back in two days and I need to talk about it.

“I’m worried about him, and I’m mad at him for leaving, but I still understand. There’s just a lot going on,” I say.

“Of course you’re confused about this. I can’t imagine the situation you’re in, but I want you to know that whatever happens, George and I will support you. We’re fully on your side here. You’re practically a member of the family at this point.” She smiles at me, and I try to return it. We don’t mention Fred for the rest of the night.  
Two days later, I’m working at the Three Broomsticks. It’s a pretty good day for tips, and I’m feeling okay. Then I see a flash of ginger-red hair. I curse quietly under my breath and practically run to the storeroom. 

“You’ve got this, you’re fine,” I mutter to myself. A few deep breaths later, I compose myself and strut back out with as much confidence as I can muster. Fred is sitting at the bar. He looks… healthy. The dark circles under his eyes have disappeared, and he’s not as pale. He even looks stronger, like he’s been working. When he sees me, he smiles nervously. I grab the drinks that people in a booth ordered and breeze past Fred as if I don’t even see him. After handing out the drinks, I make my way back behind the bar and stop in front of Fred, looking him straight in the eye.

“What can I get for you?” I ask in a steady tone. He smiles like I’m not being a complete ass.

“I missed you a lot, Aspen.” 

“What can I get for you?” I repeat. “I’m at work, I can’t do this right now. We can talk after my shift.” He nods and orders a Butterbeer, drinks it, and leaves without another word. I’m strangely disappointed, even though that’s what I wanted.

The next few hours are almost painful. I’m anxious to see Fred, but I’m also absolutely terrified. When Bartholomew tells me I can go home, I almost ask if I can work a double shift. But no, I have to face this. I had planned on going home and changing into something more comfortable, but Fred is on a bench right outside. He smiled when he sees me.

“How long have you been out here?” I ask quietly.

“Since I saw you earlier.” I sigh and close my eyes. That was hours ago. 

“Ok, well then say what you want to say, I guess.” I’m being mean and I know it, but just this once I want to be a little mean. He gestures towards the bench and I warily sit down.

“I really missed you, Aspen, but I’m glad I left. I needed to get professional help, and I’m glad you got time to think about if this is actually what you want. I can tell you with absolute certainty that I will never touch Euphoria Elixir, or any other kind of drug, ever again. If you don’t want me back, I completely understand, but I want you to know that I love you more than anything.” He gives a definitive nod. I sit quiet for a moment.

“I’m glad you’re better,” I say. “I’m glad you feel better, and you look like you feel better, and I’m happy for you. I missed you too, and I still love you, despite my attempts to stop.” He lets out a relieved sigh. “But, Fred, I need you to promise me that you’ll never do anything like that again. That was… I don’t even know how to describe how awful that was. You were so out of it I didn’t even know of you would recognize me.” I can feel tears building up again at the thought. “You just collapsed and I didn’t know what to do, and you scared George and me so badly. You have to promise me Fred.” He wrapped his arms around me, and I practically melted into him.

“I promise. I promise I won’t hurt you like that again.” I nodded against his shoulder. We sat like that for a while before I picked up my head and looked up at him. He smiled down at me and pressed his lips to mine.

Suddenly everything was okay again. Suddenly all the pain disappears, and the last few months leave my mind, and I’m home. Fred is my home. I lean into him and run my hands through his hair. His arms are around my waist and I feel his hands clasp at the small of my back. I pull back just enough to get one sentence out.

“I won’t be temporary.”

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and Comments are appreciated!


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